Verbal Communications.Rob Stump AttachmentCivic Center Hillside Neighborhood
Wildfire Preparation and Prevention
September 13, 2020
Town Council Members
Town of Los Gatos
110 E. Main St.
Los Gatos, California 95030
Dear Town Council Members:
At the Town Council meeting on September 1, I once again addressed Wildfire Preparation and
Prevention. My main encouragement in light of recent fires and the Red Flag warning in August was to
heighten the intensity of the Town and Community response to this threat. I requested that the Town
Council commission a Wildfire Preparation and Prevention Committee for the Town of Los Gatos.
At the end of my remarks, Vice Mayor Spector asked me, “What should we be doing immediately in
response to the CZU Lightning Complex wildfire and the August 23-24 Red Flag warning?” My immediate
response was not very complete, so here is a more comprehensive response:
1. Wildfire Preparation and Prevention Committee: get this committee underway immediately. If
establishment of an Ad Hoc committee is faster, then please take that action. We need to get more
people, including hillside neighbors, involved in hardening the Los Gatos Hillside and the Town Public
Safety priorities more focused and aligned on wildfire prevention. There is still much education and
awareness building that needs to be accomplished.
2. Roadside Fire Fuel Reduction Plan: take any needed action that supports expediting this project.
Director Morley is moving quickly and is working to engage multiple contractors to speed completion
of this work. Please make sure that Director Morley has the needed support and resources to get this
critical work completed. A case in point and very close to home. Over the Labor Day weekend, there
was a car fire on Soda Springs road. The fire ignited surrounding vegetation. This potential source of
ignition, automobiles, will be greatly reduced by the Town’s Fire Fuel Reduction Plan.
3. Defensible Space Inspections: perform defensible space inspections in the very high fire hazard
zone. One suggestion…mobilize community volunteers, perhaps from CERT to fan out across the Los
Gatos hillside to inspect properties and educate homeowners. We have more FUEL on our hillside
than at any other point in our Town’s history. Something to keep in mind, prior to the Paradise fire
Los Gatos was rated a higher wildfire risk than Paradise. Adherence to Defensible Space guidelines
across our hillside will make a difference. And it is the law, California Public Resources Code 4291.
4. Emergency Evacuation Drills: evacuation is always problematic because the “test” only comes when
there is an emergency. Why not conduct drills so that residents experience an evacuation under
controlled conditions? The Civic Center Hillside Neighborhood is currently planning an evacuation
drill with the Police Department. This drill will give everyone a better idea of what is involved in an
immediate evacuation – residents, the Police Departments and perhaps SCCFD. How do we move 50-
100 vehicles off this section of the hillside immediately while doing so safely and efficiently? Lessons
learned from this drill can be applied to the entire Los Gatos Hillside.
Taking these actions will demonstrate a heightened level of intensity around our Community’s response
to wildfire. It is a threat that we live with eight-nine months of the year. And as we have sadly witnessed,
it is becoming an all too common occurrence. But together, we can make a difference.
Rob Stump